RealGM

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... _olympics/

"Zydrunas is an important member of our team and has generally been a higher risk player due to his injury history," Cavs' General Manager Danny Ferry said Thursday night.

"We declined consent for Zydrunas to play in the Olympics when he approached us several weeks ago, and in light of the inability to insure Zydrunas adequately, we continue to deny consent and will not permit Zydrunas to play in the 2008 Olympics as a member of the Lithuanian National Team."

now if only we could prevent lebron from playing

I think it's crap that he's being denied! If a player can't play for his/her national team that is HORRIBLE. There's an honor (which IMO some American athletes take lightly) that comes with playing for your country, and the games are supposed to represent good will. Danny Ferry just took a dump on Lithuania, and good will...

Z should be allowed to play as long as he's willing to sign a release from his contract if he gets hurt. Eventhough he hasn't been injured in years his injury history has been enough to prevent him from practicing at all during the off season. That alone means that he probably shouldn't be playing basketball for anyone other than the team that pays him.

I doubt the NBAPA would allow such a thing.

Cavs sucks!!! Why Lebron is playing for USA? Becouse his american!

If he truly wants to play he still can. He's risking the last 2 years of his contract if he were to be injured however. Frankly, that's all that this is about. While I doubt that Z will be injured, I understand the Cavs reticence to allow him to play if he can't get insured for it. I wouldn't want to be on the hook for 20 mil in that case either.

Z always turns International basketball down, and if I had my guess I would say that he went to Ferry and asked him to deny his rights to play. This way Z doesnt look like the bad guy and Z can still take the summer off like he enjoys doing.

FelixDaHousecat wrote:Cavs sucks!!! Why Lebron is playing for USA? Becouse his american!

If Z wanted to forgo his paychecks I am sure something could be worked out.

B Mac wrote:Z always turns International basketball down, and if I had my guess I would say that he went to Ferry and asked him to deny his rights to play. This way Z doesnt look like the bad guy and Z can still take the summer off like he enjoys doing.

This is what I thought from the beginning, because call me crazy, but Z doesn't seem that enthusiastic about playing more basketball.

I heard from a reliable source that Ferry is just helping Team USA out... Who in their right mind would go against a tream consisting of Big Z, Lina Kleiza and Darius Songaila... they'd be unstopable

But seriously I just want Big Z to be happy, I see him as the father figure of this team.

Gordon Bombay wrote:now if only we could prevent lebron from playing

We (team USA) needs LeBron

And we (Lithuania) need Zydrunas. However, stupid NBA and Cavaliers are doing everything they can to prevent Z from playing. Believe me, if Cavaliers did ever have some fans in Lithuania (well, it did, because of Zydrunas), now they have nothing but a plenty of haters. Lithuanian Basketball Federation found a company to insure Z, framed policy, went overseas many times, did everything it took, but now it seems their hopes were brushed away.

Don't really know what was the reason of denying. His serious injuries are over, btw, should they care, if he's insured? Well, sure, Cavaliers loses an important players in case of injury but so do Lakers if Gasol hurts and so on. Many people tend to believe USA are scared of losing at international competition one more year in a row. With Cavaliers acting like this, I am starting to feel the same way.

The problem with Z is that eventhough his serious injuries are likely over. He's doesn't have much tread left. More than likely he wouldn't get injured but the fact remains that Z doesn't even practice in the offseason because of his previous injuries. Most people wouldn't even have thought he could have lasted this long (Cavs fans included). To be honest, I really wouldn't have a problem with him being on the team as long as he wasn't overused. I do however think he had a hand in the determination that he not play.

Lithuania will do better without him you dumb hicks. Go pig wrestle, farm, and suck cack.

^^^

Wiz Fo Champz wrote:Lithuania will do better without him you dumb hicks. Go pig wrestle, farm, and suck cack.

so what exactly is "cack"?